Alabama lawmakers hear from Pickens County on effort to re-open medical center

PICKENS COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - It’s the sign of the times in Carrolton, the never-ending hope among the locals the Pickens County Medical Center will re-open.

Dozens of Pickens County neighbors took their concern for local healthcare to the statehouse in Montgomery Wednesday. More than 40 people boarded a chartered bus for an all day trip to Montgomery in the on-going effort to re-open the closed Pickens County Medical Center.

That’s why residents such as Missy Fitch boarded the chartered bus with a direct route to the Statehouse for one single purpose; demand lawmakers re-open the hospital which has been closed now for three years because funding dried up.

“There’s just way too many people who are dying. We have no emergency services,” said Fitch.

With the roll call complete followed by a prayer, the bus rolled on to Montgomery not long after sunrise. Once in front of the statehouse, the group sat in the gallery and heard representatives A.J. McCampbell and Ron Bolton’s impassioned plea for the medical center.

“This is the human healthcare, human being issue,” said Representative McCampbell.

“We’ve had two people die in the streets while waiting health care,” said Representative Bolton.

The hospital bill was re-introduced in the special, but died because lawmakers are dealing with redistricting.

The trip to the state capital comes just weeks after the senate failed to include the $8 million needed to reopen the medical center in its appropriations bill.

Back in Montgomery, it now becomes a waiting game to see what lawmakers will do next year. Until then, supporters hold on to their dream in Pickens County.

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